Saturday, December 27, 2008

Test: Earthships

In the middle of the d__1__ near Taos, New Mexico, visitors will find a number of very o__-l__2__ houses. Some are e__3__ structures, covered on one side with a long row of s__4__ glass p__5__. Others are topped with d__6__ that are topped with flat windows like the e__7__ to a flying s__8__ from out/ outer/ outside space. But no! They are not spaceships. They are Eearthships.

An Earthship is a relatively/ relate/ related new type of house that is e__-f__11__ and s__-s__12__. It is build with many recycle/ recycling/ recyclable materials both inside and out, p__14__ used tires and a__15__ cans. The s__16__ allow light into the house without allowing too much heat. E__17__ for lights comes from wind or s__18__ power. Its own water system recycles waste water and s__19__ for gardening. The home only needs to be h__20__ up to a phone line.

Earthships were first created in the 1970s by a man named Michael Reynolds. Reynolds also runs w__21__ so that owners can be involved in building their own Earthships. The building process is relatively simple, though it does require a lot of p__22__ work.

Finished Earthship homes are often very beautiful. They are built in many unusual and creative designs. The people who live in Earthships seem to be very happy with their lifestyle. They pay hardly any u__23__ bills. Many also get a great sense of s__24__ from using their own hands to help build the house. Many owners add special touches to the i__25__, such as carved doors, stone floors and even handmade furniture.

26. 我父母不允許我們晚上在外遊蕩(hang out)到太晚。
27. 老師說他不允許班上有作弊行為。
28. 從去年聖誕節起,我們就一直在進行這個計畫。
29. 我好久沒見到妳了。
30. 紙是由木材做的。



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Earthships: A New Way of Building and Living

originally published in The English Reader for Senior High School: Book Three by The Far East Books Co., Ltd. 原文引自遠東高中英文第四冊課文。



In the middle of the desert near Taos, New Mexico, visitors will find a number of very odd-looking houses. Some are elongated structures, covered on one side with a long row of slanted glass panels. Others are topped with domes and the domes are topped with flat windows. The windows look almost like the entrance to a flying saucer. Indeed, when you see these houses, you might think for a moment that they are ships from outer space. But no! They are not spaceships. They are Eearthships.

An Earthship is a relatively new type of house that is eco-friendly and self-sufficient. It is build with many recyclable materials both inside and out, primarily used tires and aluminum cans, and it is heated and cooled using solar power. The glass panels help to collect heat, and the flat windows are called skylights. They allow light into the house without allowing too much heat. Electricity for lights also comes from wind or solar power. An Earthship has its own water system as well. The system collects rainwater for household use, and recycles waste water and sewage for gardening. The home does not need to be hooked up to any electricity, water, or sewage systems. It only needs a phone line.

Earthships were first created in the 1970s by a man named Michael Reynolds. Reynolds built the first such homes in Taos, but since then his designs have been used in many other locations, including Mexico, Europe and Japan. Reynolds also runs workshops so that owners can be involved in building their own Earthships. The building process is relatively simple, though it does require a lot of physical work. The outside walls are made by lining and piling up old tires and then packing them with earth. The earth must be pounded until it is very hard in order to make the walls stable. The tires are then covered with cement or adobe. The walls inside the house are made in the similar way with aluminum cans. The result of this design is that the house has extra thick walls, and this helps to control the temperature indoors. Even without air-conditioning, an Earthship will stay cool during the day. At night, as heat transfers from the walls, the house warms up, so that everyone can sleep comfortably.

Finished Earthship homes are often very beautiful. They are built in many unusual and creative designs. The sloping roofs and glass skylights give them a natural but elegant look. Inside, sunlight streams in throughout the day, creating a bright and cheerful atmosphere. Many owners add special touches to the interior, such as carved doors, stone floors and even handmade furniture. In one design, pieces of recycled glass bottles add colorful decorations to the walls and doorways.

The people who live in Earthships seem to be very happy with their lifestyle. Their homes are not only much cheaper to build but also cheaper to live in than ordinary houses. They pay hardly any utility bills. Many also get a great sense of satisfaction from using their own hands to help build the house. Most important of all, they know that their homes do little damage to the environment. They can feel that they are no longer part of the problem, but part of the solution.

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